Heriot-Watt 2nd XI 3 - 1 Stirling 3rd XI
A strong display from Heriot-Watt was enough to defeat the hapless Stirling in a game which was marred by two red cards.
Stirling started the game brightly, taking full advantage of the wide pitch with Brodie and Mitchell linking well on the left side, however Stirling had no answer to a robust Heriot-Watt back line in the final third.
Heriot-Watt, aided by a well disciplined midfield, opened the scoring with an excellent counter attacking move following a Stirling corner. With the Stirling defence still retreating, the ball was played out far right and with the winger hitting the byeline, he drilled in a low ball into the box finding the HW No.9, who made no mistake in controlling the ball and drilling it low into the bottom left hand corner.
With the wind now firmly in Heriot-Watt's sails, the Edinburgh side began to take a hold of the game, forcing the Stirling defence deep into their own half. With the majority of Heriot-Watt attacks coming from the left, Stirling right back Curtis Wilson did well to ensure Stirling entered half time with only a one goal deficit.
Central midfielder Wells was substituted at half time for Quinn, with the impressive Mitchell pushed into the center of the park to combat the Heriot-Watt central midfield trio. Yet Stirling were soon to be left deflated as not long into the second half, the HW No.9 doubled the lead with his second of the game. With a cross from the left rebounding off a Stirling defender, it kindly fell to the imposing striker who poked the ball home beyond the helpless McCulloch.
It was clear Stirling were lacking a certain bite in the middle of the park, which led to the introduction of McNee, with Boyle giving way. The crowd favourite had an immediate affect, lifting the team with his passionate attitude. With only being on the pitch a matter of seconds, McNee floated a superb pass to Boakye who, on the volley from the edge of the area, struck a sweet strike which clipped the top of the bar. Yet this resurge in the Stirling play was soon interrupted with a confrontation, which left both teams with ten men.
Boakye, frustrated all game with little service, was hacked down on the edge of the area with the referee waving play on. Approached by an outraged center half claiming Boakye had dived, the HW man pushed the Stirling striker, which resulted in a physical encounter between the two. After a number of players attempted to break up the incident, the referee had no choice but to show red to both.
Stirling were not yet dead and buried and knocked hard on the HW door looking for the breakthrough and it duely came in the 80th minute. With a corner floated in from the left, the ball was cleared only to be knocked back in to find Mahoney, who calmly volleyed home, amid shouts from the HW defence for offside.
Stirling were now in the driving seat and pushed for a late equalizer which so nearly came through winger Ryan Lynch. With a previous attack cleared only to Lynch on the edge of the area, he took the ball past one man to unleash a venomous drive which struck the inside of the post and bounced clear.
With the game nearly over, Stirling pushed all but keeper McCulloch up field looking for the equalizer and paid the price when HW killed the game off. With only the center halves as Stirling's line of defence, Flanagan was beaten down the left and with Mahoney moving over to cover, the ball was played across the box with the HW striker somehow missing from all of six yards, with McCulloch making a fine save. The ball was cleared only to be knocked straight back, finding the HW striker and at the second time of asking, finished beautifully from the edge of the area, with his shot crashing off the bar and bouncing in off the unfortunate McCulloch
The game was seen out comfortably by Heriot-Watt, who recorded their first victory in the BUCS Cup. Yet the three points wasn't enough for the Edinburgh side who they failed to join Stirling in the knockout stages of the competition.
McCulloch, Brodie, Mahoney, Flanagan, Wilson, Mitchell, Wells (Quinn), Boyle (McNee), Lynch, Betreen (McDougall) Boakye Subs not used; Barker
Courtesy of Tom Flanagan
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